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Reilyn Turner, Pietra Tordin lead Thorns past Spirit
Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Reilyn Turner and Pietra Tordin each scored goals and Jessie Fleming had two assists as the Portland Thorns handed the Washington Spirit its first road loss of the season, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon.

Bella Bixby made four saves en route to her second clean sheet of the season for the Thorns (5-3-4, 19 points), who moved into fifth place in the NWSL with the win. Portland remained unbeaten (3-0-3) at home and improved to 10-0-5 all-time in home matches against the Spirit.

Aubrey Kingsbury finished with four saves for fourth-place Washington (7-4-1, 22 points), which suffered its first loss in six away matches (5-1-0).

Portland dominated the first half of action finishing with a 12-5 edge in shot attempts. However, the Thorns didn't find the back of the net until the 39th minute when Turner took a short pass from Fleming in the middle of the box and chipped a right-footed shot into the top right corner for her fourth goal of the season.

Washington nearly tied it in the 73rd minute when Makenna Morris blasted a right-footed shot from about 10 yards above the box that caromed off the crossbar.

Shortly after Bixby denied Morris' right-footed shot with a diving stop by the far left post, Tordin fielded a long pass from Fleming and made it 2-0 in the 82nd minute, lofting a right-footed shot from outside the box over Kingsbury for her second goal of the season.

This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.

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